The
January 27, 2015 auction of the Abbott Guggenheim Collection, a New
York Kunstkammer at Christie's New York contains a marvelous collection
of Renaissance and Baroque bronzes assembled over six decades by Peter
Guggenheim and John Abbott.

"A collection of staggering depth
and quality,," the catalogue noted, "it is very much a New World
continuation of the great Kunstkammers of Central Europe. Art
and
science, in these collections, were inextricably linked, and we see
this in the Abbott-Guggenheim Colleciton's robust mix of sculpture and
clocks. Indeed, one focus led to the other, as the clocks a
younger Guggenheim spent his time repairing and buying, became ever
more sculptural. Soon he was pursuing a series of magnificent
and
beguiling automatons and, ultimately, pure sculpture itself.
In
time, Abbott and Guggenheim assembled the sort of collection that draws
the most discriminating scholars and fellow collectors....The
collecting activities of Peter Guggenheim's great uncles, Salomon, with
his iconic museum on Fifth Avenue, and Benjamin, who died on the
Titantic, are well-known. As are those of his aunt, Peggy
Guggenheim, whose exploits and Venetian Palazzo need no further
introduction. The Abbott-Guggenheim Collection, however, was
entirely a private colleciton. For decades, and to great
effect,
the Collection has been displayed at their horse farm in the Hudson
River Valley [in Warick, New York], a surprise to anyone fortunate
enough to visit....Many of the clocks were exhibited at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1972 and the bronzes were the subject of
an important, and in many ways, ground-breaking, exhibition at the Fine
Arts Museums of San Francsciso in 1988."

One of the most
beautiful works in the auction is Lot 62, a bronze figure of a seated
nude woman braiding her hair by Barthélemy Prieur (circa 1536-1611).
It is 7 3/8 inches high and was once in the collection of
Archer
and Anna Hyatt Huntington until it was donated to the Charleston Museum
in 1931 and then de-accessioned and sold at Parke-Bernet in 1967.

The
catalogue notes that the composition is based on the ancient marble
"Nymph 'alla Spina' and that "the present cast is exceptional for its
exquisite detailing and beautiful copper-brown patination," adding that
there are other examples in the Huntington Collection in San Marino,
the Metropolitan Museum and the Wallace Collection in London.

It has an estimate of $400,000 to $600,000. It sold for $425,000 including
the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.

One
of the most imposing works in the auction is Lot 52, "Hercules
Pomarius," a 15 1/4-inch high bronze by Willem Danielsz Van Tetrode
(circa 1525-1580). It has been widely published. It
is one
of four versions; one is in the Rijksmausum, one in the Robert H. Smith
Collection that is promisedto the National Gallery in Washington, and
one owned by the Hearn Family Trust, and this one. The artist
who is known as Tetrode worked in Benevuto Cellini's workshop

It has an estimate of $1,500,000 to $2,500,000. It sold for $2,045,000.

Lot
111, Figure of a Running Man, bronze, cast from a model attributed to
the Master of the Fitzwilliam Museum, probably late 19th Century, 10
1/8 inches high

Lot
111 is a very graceful bronze figure of a running man that is cast from
a model attributed to the Master of the Fitzwilliam Museum.
It is
10 1/8 inches high and is probably late 19th Century. It has
an
estimate of $7,000 to $10,000. It
sold for $11,250.

Lot 57,
ecorche of an Archer, Flemish or Netherlandish, late 16th or early 17th
Century, 17 1/4 inches high

Lot 57 depicts
an archer in bronze but is missing his bow. It is Flemish or
Netherlandish, late 16th or 17th Century and is 17 1/4 inches high.
It was once with Joseph Duveen in New York and A la Vielle
Russie in New York. It has an estimate of $60,000 to $90,000.
It sold for
$60,000.

Lot 54 is a very
impressive bronze of Hercules Supporting the Globe that is probably
Netherlandish, second half 17th or 18th Century. It is 16 1/8
inches high and the statue is missing the globe. It has an
estimate of $100,000 to $150,000. It
sold for $137,000.

Lot 27 is a fine
early 16th Century bronze of Hercules wrestling with Antaeus and
attributed to circle of Vittore Gambello, called Camelio. It
is 14 inches high. It has an estimate of $100,000 to
$150,000. It
sold for $197,000.

Lot 109 is a
beautiful bronze of "Virtue Triumphant over Vice" after Giambologna,
workshop of Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi of Florence circa 1701-6.
It is 12 inches high. The piece was once in the
collection of William Randolph Hearst at San Simeonand is copied after
a work by Giambologna now in the Bargello in Florence that had been
commissioned by Francisco de'Medici. It has an estiamte of
$60,000 to $90,000. It
sold for $233,000.

Lot 83 is a
large and fine bronze of "Pluto with Cerebus" that is attributed to Max
Labenwolf and Hans Reisinger of Augsburg circa 1570-1590. It
is 25 1/2 inches high. Cerebus has three heads and each is
piped to serve as a fountain. It has an estimate of $250,000
to $400,000. It
failed to sell.

Lot
12, Inkwell in the form of a sea monster, bronze, workshop of Severo di
Domenico Calzetta, called "Da Ravenna," Paduan, first half of 16th
Century, 10 1/2 inches long

Lot 12 is an
impressive bronze inkwell in the form of a sea monster from the
workshop of Severo di Domenico Galzetta called "Da Ravenna." It is from
the first half of the 16th Century and is 10 1/2 inches long.
The catalogue notes that such bronzes are through tohave been
inspired by engravings by Andrew Mantegna of the Battle of the Sea
Gods. It has an estimate of $100,000 to $150,000. It failed to sell.

Lot
21 is a gilt bronze and brass striking and automaton Bacchus Clock by
Hans Christian Kreitzer or Konrad Kreitzer of Augsburg. It is
dated to the first century of the 17th Century and is 12 inches high.
It has an estimate of $120,000 to $180,000. It sold for $112,500.

Lot 5 is a
parcel-gilt bronze relief of Christ as Salvator Mundi that is
attributed to the Master of the Barbarigo Reliefs (active 13485-1515),
possibly Antonio Lombardo. The work was once with the Boston
Athenaeum and then on loan to the Museum of Fine Arts in
Boston. It is considered the best of three versions.
The other two are in the Bode Museum in Berlin and the
Kunsthistoriches Museum in Vienna. It has an estimate of $250,000 to
$350,000. It
sold for $605,000.